legalize
/ˈliːɡəlaɪz/verb
legalize is spelled L-E-G-A-L-I-Z-E: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.8 times per million words in written English, the 20,629th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, legalize means “To make legal or permit under law. Either by decriminalising something that has been illegal or by specifically permitting it” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in legalize?
| Letters | 8: L-E-G-A-L-I-Z-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.8 times per million words; the 20,629th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is legalize?
Legalize appears 1.8 times per million words in written English, the 20,629th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce legalize?
- /ˈliːɡəlaɪz/
Legalize has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Back_ache-legalize.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with legalize
Also written: legalise.
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of legalize
- legalizes present, singular, he/she/it
- legalizing participle, present
- legalized participle, past
- legalise UK
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does legalize mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To make legal or permit under law. Either by decriminalising something that has been illegal or by specifically permitting it.
There is a debate whether or not to legalize some of the softer drugs.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Legalize in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense make legal:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | dépénaliser, autoriser, légaliser |
| German | legalisieren |
| Portuguese | legalizar |
| Spanish | legalizar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does legalize come from?
From legal + -ize. Piecewise doublet of loyalize.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).